Final answer:
The attractions between particles are stronger in sodium chloride (salt) than in sodium metal, as indicated by its significantly higher enthalpy of fusion (30.4 kJ/mol for NaCl vs. 2.60 kJ/mol for Na). The strength of these attractions is reflected in sodium chloride's high melting point and considerable lattice energy, highlighting the strong electrostatic attraction between its Na+ and Cl− ions.
Step-by-step explanation:
The attractions between particles is stronger in the solid that has the higher enthalpy of fusion (\(\Delta H_{fus}\)). In this case, sodium chloride (salt) has a \(\Delta H_{fus}\) of 30.4 kJ/mol, which is significantly higher than that of sodium metal at 2.60 kJ/mol. The higher \(\Delta H_{fus}\) for sodium chloride suggests that it has stronger attractions between its particles in the solid state, as more energy is required to overcome these forces during fusion.
Sodium chlorid is an ionic compound, and it has a high melting point of 801°C, indicating very strong ionic bonds. These ionic bonds are due to the strong electrostatic attraction between oppositely charged Na+ and Cl− ions. Despite the involvement of Coulombic forces in all forms of chemical bonding, they are particularly strong in ionic solids like NaCl.
The strength of the interparticle attractions in solids can also be related to lattice energy, which represents the energy required to separate one mole of a solid ionic compound into its gaseous ions. Sodium chloride's significant lattice energy underscores the strong forces between Na+ and Cl− ions, as illustrated by the high energy required to dissociate one mole of NaCl into gaseous Na+ and Cl− ions (769 kJ)